IPCS, New Delhi Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh Building Peace & Countering Radicalization Despite the recent elections for the Legislative Assembly of J&K and the Parliament during 2008-09 and the continuing cross-LOC interactions, the state of J&K has been witnessing an increasing radicalization of three distinct kinds – regional, religious and ethnic. While there has been much focus on military and human rights issues in the state, the growing regional antagonisms, radicalization and souring relations between various local communities, are newer trends that need to be studied and addressed. It was with a view to understand these contemporary negative developments, that the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS), New Delhi, undertook a project on the above theme. The primary focus of the project was to understand the nature of change that has been taking place at various levels within the state and work towards building peace. It aimed to bring together the younger generation from different regions to discuss these emerging issues and reach an understanding on how to prevent further radicalization and build peace among the various communities of J&K. The project was specifically focused on the following three forms of radicalization: Regional Radicalization In recent months, there has been an unmistakable rise in the radicalization of regional sentiments between Jammu, Kashmir and INSTITUTE OF PEACE & CONFLICT STUDIES Organized by Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi Building Peace and Countering Radicalization Ladakh. The violence that followed the Amarnath have been trying to radicalize the Hindu youth. Shrine Board crisis in Jammu and Kashmir regions, There have been deliberate attempts to use the and the growing demand for Union Territory Status Amarnath Yatra for instance, and places of Hindu for Ladakh are expressions of how divided these worship such as Vaishno Devi, Ragunath Temple in three regions are today. Jammu, and Buddha Amarnath in Poonch district to radicalize the Hindus in the Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch Administrative issues such as the establishment of belt. There seems to be a definitive trend in the educational institutions have also demonstrated sudden spurt in these yatras, under the deliberate their potential to exacerbate the regional divide, as patronage of certain groups. was observed during the recent agitation in Jammu regarding the setting up of the Central University in Radicalization within communities has also had an the region. adverse impact on the relations between communities, mainly Hindus and Muslims. The Religious Radicalization recent communal violence in Kishtwar, Rajouri, and Poonch bears testimony to this new trend. Despite There has been a slow, but steady radicalization the presence of different religious communities, that has taken place between and within different these sub regions and cities have always communities in Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh. maintained religious harmony. Though there have been tensions between communities, these have Kashmir Valley has been well known for its practice largely been contained through local dialogue. of Sufi Islam, which has played an important role in However, in the recent past, not only has J&K seen preserving what is defined as Kashmiriyat — the an accelerated recurrence of such tensions, but has composite cultural identity of the people in this also been witness to disturbances in one region or region. Unfortunately today, both Kashmiriyat and town spilling over to and adversely affecting the Sufi Islam are under stress due to the radical communal harmony in neighbouring regions/towns. onslaught, which has progressively crept into the state in recent years. A section of the younger Ethnic Radicalization generation, unlike their elders, does not believe as much in Sufi Islam. Led by certain militant groups, Besides the religious and regional divide, one can there has been a deliberate effort to alter the also observe a growing divide between the Gujjar nature of Islam in the Valley. While the older and Pahari communities in the Jammu, Rajouri and generation stresses the Sufi nature of Islam, a Poonch belt. Ever since the Gujjars were granted section within the younger generation seems to be the ST status, the Pahari community has felt looking beyond Sufism. disadvantaged. The parallel processions and counter arguments and articulation of interests by In Jammu region, certain fundamentalist forces both these comminutes against each other are indicators of a growing divide that has the potential to affect the peace and harmony between these communities which share common space in these twin districts. II METHODOLOGY The project was divided into three phases. In the first phase, the Institute commissioned surveys to a select research team of the IPCS, which were conducted across the three regions – Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh, specifically in ten towns – Jammu, Rajouri, Doda, Kishtwar, Anantnag, Srinagar, Baramulla, Sopore, Kargil, and Leh. The surveys were conducted primarily among the youth, to understand their perceptions of religious, regional and ethnic differences, and the measures Page 2 BUILDING PEACE AND COUNTERING RADICALIZATION Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh they deem necessary for the state and civil society to adopt to prevent an escalation of conflict and violence. The questions were open-ended, seeking the opinion of the respondents to find what they considered the causes for radicalization and their recommendations on how the growing divide between communities may be addressed. Additionally, the Institute also commissioned discussion papers on regional and religious issues to academicians, journalists, media persons, bureaucrats, researchers, and conflict resolution/ transformation experts from Delhi and the regions of Jammu, Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar, Anantnag, Srinagar, Kargil, Leh, and Turtuk, to seek their perspectives and recommendations. These Resource Persons to help the younger participants papers were subsequently discussed in interactive understand the current issues in a larger perspective. sessions during a workshop held in Jammu, in collaboration with the University of Jammu. Some of Additionally, the surveyors briefly presented the these papers have already been published in the findings of the surveys conducted by them across December edition of Epilogue, a monthly magazine J&K to give the participants a sense of ground level published from J&K. perceptions and in turn, make the workshop proceedings more meaningful. In the second phase, the Institute organized a three-day workshop in collaboration with the During the workshop, the participants were divided University of Jammu on ‘Building Peace and into two groups to discuss religious and regional Countering Radicalization in Jammu, Kashmir and issues respectively, make policy recommendations Ladakh’, during 2-4 December 2009 in Jammu. and suggest measures to counter the growing radicalization. On the third day of the workshop, both Three-day Workshop in Jammu University groups made their recommendations on how to address the regional and religious differences in the The objective of the workshop was to engage state. people from the academic and strategic communities, media, and students from various The final phase of the project which the Institute is regions of the state to reflect on the nature of currently engaged in is focused on the summation of radicalization and its impact on the region and the proceedings of the entire workshop as also the people and also draft policy recommendations findings of the surveys conducted, through separate based on the deliberations of the workshop. The workshop and survey reports that will be made three regions of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh were available on the IPCS website and circulated widely discussed through background papers and survey as news briefs among leading newspapers and reports. magazines in Jammu and Kashmir. Further, the Institute will also bring out a set of recommendations The workshop primarily aimed to get the younger to be submitted to the governments of India and J&K, generation from different regions of the state to and circulated among the civil society at large. discuss and debate the issues outlined above. It brought together youth from varied backgrounds – III students, scholars, and media persons, FOCUS OF THE WORKSHOP: MAJOR ISSUES OF representing various communities of Jammu, DEBATE Kashmir and Ladakh, to deliberate on these issues in smaller, sub-groups and make specific The discussion which spanned eight sessions, recommendations on how to prevent further touched upon critical issues such as the regional radicalization. The workshop also witnessed the differences within J&K, role of the Amarnath land row participation of senior scholars who acted as agitation in polarizing communities and regions and its spillover effect in other states, the gradual waning IPCS, NEW DELHI Page 3 Building Peace and Countering Radicalization of Sufi influence in the Valley, displacement of Besides these, the participants also debated Kashmiri Pandits, alienation of Rajouri and Poonch another crucial issue—the allocation of funds for districts, the growing Gujjar-Pahari divide in these regional development. It was clear from the debate twin districts, and the challenges that confront that every region and sub region believes there is Ladakh since its division into Leh and Kargil an imbalance and that they are specifically being districts, among other topical issues in the context neglected